Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-27
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.
Why might this be the case?
What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
Individuals in today’s life choose to be self employed rather that to be a workers in other’s companies. This case might be of the low income workers are gaining from the companies and organizations however, it can be a significant drawback for them as they can face several health issues or they can fail on their work projects.
To begin with, employees prefer to be self workers because they are afraid of not gaining much money as they want, as the head of other companies need more workers and they them a very low amount of money. This makes them choose to work on themselves without trying to be employees in other companies. A compelling example nowadays people as content creators and entrepreneurs, trying to build self employment to gain money.
Furthermore, being a self employers have numerous disadvantages including the health problems that they can face, as well as the failure of their work. Individuals are trying to work hard, which can be a serious issue for their health, it will effects them both physically such as back pain and mentally as the work increases stress. Furthermore, they can fail on their work
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 194 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the essay addresses both parts of the prompt—reasons for self-employment and potential disadvantages—the arguments are underdeveloped and lack depth. The explanation regarding why people choose self-employment is repetitive and lacks clear logical progression. Furthermore, the discussion of disadvantages is cut short, leaving the essay incomplete. To improve, you must expand your points with more detailed explanations and concrete examples to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with' and 'Furthermore', but the overall flow is hindered by the lack of development and the abrupt ending. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is incomplete, which disrupts the logical structure of the response. The relationship between ideas is sometimes unclear due to awkward phrasing, such as in the opening sentence. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked more fluidly using a wider variety of cohesive devices, while also ensuring that all paragraphs are fully concluded.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. Phrases like 'gain money' and 'work on themselves' are simplistic and lack the precision expected at higher levels. There are also issues with word formation and collocation, such as 'self workers' instead of 'freelancers' or 'self-employed individuals', and 'being a self employers'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to discuss the topic in a sophisticated manner. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to employment and business, and try to use more precise terminology to convey your ideas clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'rather that to be a workers', 'the head of other companies need more workers and they them a very low amount of money', and 'it will effects them'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the existing sentences are often poorly constructed. The frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and word choice suggest a need for a stronger grasp of basic English grammar. To improve, focus on sentence construction, proofreading for basic errors, and practicing the use of complex sentence forms.
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